Portland, Bangor shut down eateries, L.L. Bean temporarily closes stores as 'new normal' evolves
Photo / Maureen Milliken
At the Panera in Augusta, the restaurant is asking customers to practice social distancing.
Portland and Bangor have restricted bars and restaurants, while L.L.Bean Inc. has closed all of its U.S. retail stores, as Maine continues to limit public contact in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
As of late Tuesday morning, there were 32 cases in Maine, both presumptive and confirmed, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC, in his daily press briefing.
The cases represent cases in seven counties — Cumberland, York, Lincoln, Knox, Oxford, Androscoggin and Kennebec — but have evidence of community transmission only in Cumberland County, Shah said. "We expect there to be evidence of community transmission in other areas of Maine," he said.
One of the concerns, he added, is that one of the cases is a young child who doesn't attend day care. Three of the cases are hospitalized, and two also have the flu. The Maine CDC has fielded more than 2,000 consults, and labs in the state have conducted 1,003 negative tests.
Shah said that as the number of cases rises, it's important to manage expectations about the future.
"My ask is that you take positive steps to take control of the situation in your own lives, in your own households," he said, and avoid panic. Panic can be paralytic, Shah said. "It can prevent you from doing the things you need to do to be prepared."
He said that people should cast their actions in a positive light, determine what they can do, and practice social distancing.
While developments are happening rapidly, here is a sampling of some across Maine.
L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean announced Monday that it would close its U.S. retail stores, which employ about 5,000. The closing includes the flagship store in Freeport, which is famously open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It's only the fifth time in the store's history it's closed, and the first time it's closed for more than 24 hours, the company said.
"As a family-owned, values-driven company, nothing is more important during these challenging times than the health and well-being of our employees, customers and greater communities," the announcement said.
The company stressed that its business remains open and customers can buy online or by phone. "Rest assured, our teams working across operations — including our home agent service representatives — are following strict CDC guidelines, including practicing safe working distances and adhering to additional cleaning protocols," the announcement said.
"During this period, our social channels will focus on simple ideas and images that inspire and remind us of the restorative power of the outdoors. If you have outdoor moments that you would like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you."
Portland response
Portland City Manager Jon Jennings Monday afternoon announced a mandated curfew for establishments where groups gather. Today, St. Patrick's Day, it's from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. Wednesday. Until March 22, it will be from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The move is "in light of the need to practice social distancing in order to lessen the community spread and flatten the curve of the COVID-19 global pandemic," the city said in a news release. Tuesday's all-day curfew is intended to curb St. Patrick’s Day events and festivities.
“This is a time of shared sacrifice for all of us, and we must be willing to alter our daily lives for now,” said City Manager Jon Jennings. “We need everyone to take COVID-19 very seriously in order to limit community spread in the greater Portland area and across the state.
"I understand the very difficult situation this puts our business owners in, but in a global pandemic, it cannot be business as usual," he said. "We simply cannot have large gatherings, such as in the Old Port. We need your help in confronting the coronavirus. We will continue to reassess as we go forward and provide updates as they are available.”
Food take-out delivery is still permitted, but the city is "strongly recommending restaurants close to dine-in customers, or dramatically limit the number of customers for the foreseeable future.
While the requirement largely affects bars and restaurants, the city has also recommended gyms and fitness centers close.
"While this is the preferable option, the city understands that some restaurants may not be set up to do so," the city release said.
Bangor response
Bangor declared a civil state of emergency Monday, requiring bars, restaurants and gathering places to close between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., effective for five days, beginning today. It does not affect essential services like gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
All gatherings in the city are recommended to be limited to 10 people, in accordance with Center for Disease Control guidelines.
"We are really proud of our business community and the fact that many have already made the very difficult decision to close," said City Manager Catherine Conlow. "This decision is made in the interest of public health." The city has a page dedicated to the virus response on its website that offers resources and other information.
The Bangor Chamber of Commerce Tuesday announced it has canceled all events and in-person meetings through early April, as well as its May Biz Expo and publication of its Spotlight Membership Guide.
"We are instead focusing on the health and well being of our community and how we can support you today and in the future," said Chamber President Deb Neuman.
The chamber has developed a short survey to gather information on the impact on businesses and what they need for support. It is working with federal, state and local officials to provide economic relief as soon as possible, Neuman said. The chamber is also working with the Greater Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau and city government to assist our restaurants and retailers "as they make decisions to change their business practices."
The chamber is hosting Facebook live seminars with a panel of employment law, medical experts and others to answer questions as well.
"Our team is communicating daily to evaluate the situation and our response," Neuman said. "No matter what the next days, weeks or months have in store for us, we will be here to work with and support you."
Central Maine
The Waterville's COVID-19 Task Force Monday ordered all restaurants and bars closed to dining in for the next 48 hours until the city can get further guidance. Mayor Nick Isgro posted a photo of the order on his Facebook page, with a note that says take-out and delivery is all right.
Outside of Waterville, retail is taking precautions, but there haven't been widespread shutdowns.
At the Panera at the Marketplace in Augusta, for instance, a sign on the door outlines what the restaurant is doing to keep the space sanitized, and some tables have signs on them asking customers not to sit there in order to distance from other customers.
The city, in line with city and town governments across the state, did announce that it has closed City Hall, asking residents to call or email, canceled most meetings and events and moved Tuesday night's City Council meeting to Central Maine Technical Center at Waterville High School.
Kennebec Savings Bank, headquartered in Augusta, has closed branches to drive-up banking only until further notice. The bank has branches in Augusta, Waterville, Winthrop, Farmingdale and Freeport. The bank reminded customers that most functions can be done by electronic banking or over the phone.
The Central Maine Growth Council Tuesday released tips for residents to support business, including buying gift certificates; ordering to go, including finding out from restaurants if they will package food that may not advertise take-out; shopping remotely; joining local subscription clubs; "window shopping" on social media; donating to nonprofits; and stocking up on local produce.
"Remember that local establishments prioritize your health and safety," the CMGC said. "Check [business] websites and social media accounts to review the extra precautions local businesses are taking to keep consumers safe."
The council also listed resources for businesses and individuals on its website.
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